Every Day is National Disability Independence Day

Today, July 26, is National Disability Independence Day. It commemorates the day that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed, back in 1990.

For the past 30 years our country has been working to break down barriers to independence for those with disabilities. Physical barriers, technological barriers, emotional barriers, and systemic barriers. The sort of things that keep those with disabilities from leading productive and independent lives.

At the ODC, EVERY day is Disability Independence Day. It’s why we are here, and why we’ve been doing what we’ve been doing for nearly 75 years.

As we work alongside our Program Participants, teaching them valuable vocational skills, and taking them out into the community, the goal is always independence.

Despite being told for years that they CAN’T do things, they prove daily that they CAN. And that they want more independence in their lives.

For instance, you might be surprised to learn that a few of our Program Participants actually live on their own. Not with family, not in a group home, but in their own apartments. They take care of their own day to day business from cooking and cleaning to laundry and making regular daily decisions.

Some of our Program Participants can independently navigate the transit system here in Lancaster County, traveling to and from work and other destinations on RRTA buses.

These might not seem like major things to many of us, but even that level of independence is an incredible achievement for them. And that kind of independence is incremental; over time they grow more confident and add new things to their skill set. It’s the kind of independence they need to find work in the community in an integrated employment setting, working alongside you and me. The ability to travel to and from work on their own, with the chance to earn a living wage, can provide them with an even greater level of independence and sense of pride.

We continue to look for more local businesses who can provide us with work as part of our Small Group Employment program, as well as those who can outright hire our Program Participants.

If your business is interested in working with our Participants, we’d love to chat with you. More connections with more businesses means more opportunities for independence.

Join us in helping us celebrate National Disability Independence Day EVERY day!